Adjustable Shoelace Fastener and Method of Use

ABSTRACT

An improved method for fastening shoes with shoelaces having a first end and an opposing second end includes a spanning member having a hole to accommodate the first end, and a slot preferably sized for an interference fit with the second end. The first end is passed through the hole and knotted, preventing it from passing back through the hole. The second end is pulled to tighten the shoelace, knotted and anchored in the slot, maintaining the taut shoelace securely in place. With multiple holes and multiple slots, the tautness of a shoelace can be adjusted. The spanning member remains in place on a shoe when not in use, held by the knot in the first end. For convenience, a user may tie another knot in the second end, with a loop sized to receive a finger, for easily grasping the second end and sliding it into a slot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/678,677, filed on Apr. 3, 2015, entitled “Adjustable shoelacefastener and method of use”, the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Shoelaces remain conventional for fastening most footwear. Manipulatinga shoelace to tie the ends together in the traditional double slip knot,or similar configuration can be challenging for small children to learnand execute, and equally challenging for persons suffering limited motorskills, for example due to arthritis or a neurological disorder. Forthis reason, mechanisms have been developed in the art to tighten shoeson a wearer without the need for tying a particular slip knot in thelaces each time the user dons the shoes.

Although many mechanisms exist for securing shoes on a wearer withoutlaces at all, (e.g., hook and loop straps, gusseted elastic at thetongue, etc.), shoelaces remain ubiquitous for dress shoes, casualshoes, sport shoes, boots and others. For this reason, apparatus havebeen developed to speed up and simplify the process of securingshoelaces. These apparatuses typically consist of a small fastener piecehaving openings or slots to accommodate shoelaces. In most cases, theshoelaces must travel through several holes and slots in order topromote retention, which makes them difficult to use. Additionally, theyfrequently require laces to be wrapped around structures on theapparatus as well as moving in and out of holes and slots.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide afastening mechanism for laced shoes having a simple design that isinexpensive to manufacture. Another object is to provide a fasteningmechanism that is easily installed on a shoe and which allows a shoelaceto be easily and quickly affixed under tension. A further object is toprovide a fastener that can remain affixed to a shoe when not in use,and which is customizable according to preference.

SUMMARY

An improved method is presented for fastening a tie shoe being worn on auser's foot, the shoe having a shoelace with a first end and an opposingsecond end. In order to practice the method, a spanning member isprovided having a hole sized to allow the first end of the shoelace topass through the hole, and having a slot sized for an interference fitwith the second end of the shoelace. The first end is passed through thehole, and a knot formed in the first end to prevent the first end frompassing back through the hole. The second end is then tied in a knot andpulled in order to draw the shoelace taut. The second end is then slidinto the slot, which anchors the second end in the slot and maintainsthe shoelace taut to secure the tie shoe on the user's foot.

In one embodiment of the method, the spanning member includes multipleslots allowing the position of the second end, and tautness of the shoe,to be adjusted. Since the second end is adjustable by virtue of slotposition, a user may form a knot in the second end adjacent the slot tofurther anchor the second end in the slot. It may be preferable for theuser to also form a loop in the second end. The loop is preferably sizedto receive a finger of the user for easily grasping the second end andsliding it into a slot.

To increase adjustability and tautness, a user may take the additionalstep of passing the first end through a slot before passing it throughthe hole. This has the action of taking up more of the shoelace andallowing additional tightening when the fastener is placed on a shoe.After wearing the shoe, a user can disengage the second end from theslot to loosen the shoelace. By leaving the first end attached to thespanning member when unfastening the tie shoe, the fastener is preventedfrom being lost and is always ready for use. This is helpful for thegeneral public in addition to those for whom tying laced shoes isdifficult.

To make securing and loosening the shoelace using the fastener easier,the hole is preferably formed closer to the medial side of the tie shoe,and the slot formed closer to lateral side of the tie shoe. This way thefastener is always oriented so that a user's hand need not cross overthe shoe to reach the second end for placing it in the slot.

In another embodiment, the method of fastening a tie shoe having ashoelace with a first end and an opposing second end includes providinga spanning member having a hole sized to allow the first end of theshoelace to pass through the hole and a slot sized to accommodate thesecond end. The first end is passed through the hole and a knot formedin the first end to prevent it from passing back through the hole. Aloop is formed in the second end and the second end pulled taut so thatthe shoelace is also taut. The second end is then placed in the slot toprevent the loop from passing through the slot, thereby maintaining theshoelace taut and securing the shoe on the user's foot.

As with the first embodiment, the spanning member may have multipleslots, and the first end can be passed through one of the slots toeffectively shorten the shoelace. Similarly, the second end can beremoved from the slot to loosen the shoelace while leaving the first endattached to the spanning member.

Structurally, the fastener can be described as a device for adjustablytensioning a shoelace in a laced shoe having an upper medial eyelet andan upper lateral eyelet, with the shoelace having a first end and anopposing second end. The fastener includes a spanning member having aperimeter and at least one hole extending through the spanning member.The hole is sized to allow the first end to pass freely through thehole. A slot extends from the perimeter inward into the spanning member,and the slot is sized to hold the second end in an interference fit whena user secures it in a slot.

In a preferred embodiment the hole is sized to prevent a knot tied onthe first end from passing through the hole. To help make the shoelaceas taut as possible, the spanning member may be elongated, spanningacross the upper medial eyelet and the upper lateral eyelet of the shoe.To help ensure proximity to the eyelets, the spanning member may becontoured to nest against the shoe. For adjustability, the spanningmember may have multiple slots, and the slots may have entrances alongopposite sides of the perimeter, which a user can engage according topreference.

Preferably, the slot and the second end are sized relative to each otherto prevent the second end from sliding through the slot when the shoe isworn. To facilitate a tight grip on the second end, the slot may have anarrowed entrance at the perimeter, or it may have a reduced width atthe terminal end to constrict the second end and hold the shoelace in ataut position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an adjustable shoelace fastener

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the shoelace fastener holding ashoelace.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the shoelace fastener having opposingslots.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the shoelace fastener affixedto a shoe.

FIG. 5A illustrates a front view of the shoelace fastener withbilaterally symmetrical holes and slots.

FIG. 5B illustrates a bottom view of the shoelace fastener withbilaterally symmetrical holes and slots.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the shoelace fastener with a shoelaceinstalled to take up extra slack.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the shoelace fastener having an areafor displaying indicia.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the shoelace fastener having afanciful shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled inthe art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context ofa particular application and its requirements. Various modifications tothe disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied toother embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is notlimited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fastening device 10 for fixing a shoelace12 under tension is shown. The shoelace 12 is a single string or cordhaving a first end 14 and a second end 16. The first end 14 and thesecond end 16 are inserted into a spanning member 18 which holds themunder tension. The spanning member 18 may be a substantially flat planarpiece or may have a substantial thickness as shown. The spanning member18 is defined by a perimeter 20 extending around the spanning member's18.

One or more holes 22 extend through the spanning member 18 and aredisposed inward of the perimeter 20, and one or more slots 24 are formedin the spanning member 18 extending inward of the perimeter 20. In orderto secure the shoestring 12 in the spanning member 18, a knot 26 is tiednear the first end 14. With the first end 14 prevented from passingthrough a hole 22 due to the knot 26, the shoelace 12 may be tightenedand the second end 16 inserted into a preferred slot 24 and fixed inplace. The second end 16 must also be knotted (not shown) to prevent thesecond end 16 from travelling back through the slot 24.

Although the slots 24 may take a variety of forms, including straightwalled slots or V-shaped slots (not shown), in a preferred embodimentthe slots 24 have a narrowed entrance 28 to prevent the second end 16from exiting the slot 24, and may have an enlarged terminal end 30. Theenlarged terminal end 30 also helps prevent the second end 16 fromexiting the slot 24. To help with inserting the shoelace 12 into a slot24, the slots 24 may include bevels 32 to provide a tapered entrance toassist with seating the second end 16.

Referring to FIG. 3, in a second embodiment 100 the spanning member 102may have the holes 22 and slots 24 of the first embodiment, and includeone or more opposing slots 104 on opposite sides of the perimeter 106 ofthe spanning member 102. Also shown in FIG. 3 is a loop 36 formed in thesecond end 16, which allows a user (not shown) to easily place thesecond end 16 in a slot 24 with only one finger (not shown). Since theloop 36 is larger in circumference than the shoelace 12, the loop 36 canbe used in instances when a greater amount of tension in the shoelace 12is required. The loop also can be used to release the second end 16 withjust one finger.

Referring to FIG. 4, in a third embodiment of the fastener 200, thespanning member 202 may be elongated for installation on larger shoes38, boots or similar footwear. In this embodiment, vertical slots 204are shown at a distance from the hole 206. The vertical slots 204receive the second end 16 from the front of the spanning member 202.Here the shoelace 12 is shown in an untied state to illustrate that thespanning member 202 may be permanently left on the shoe 38 so a user cansecure and unsecure the shoelace 12 by simply affixing and removing thesecond end 16 from a vertical slot 204.

In this embodiment, as with the others, the spanning member 202 presentsthe vertical slots 204 on the lateral side 44 of the shoe 38 whilepresenting the hole 206 on the medial side 42 of the shoe 38. The shoe38 can be more easily fastened because a user need not reach across theshoe 38 to reach the loop 36 (not shown) and place it in a vertical slot204. A user can simply knot the second end 16 and place it in a verticalslot 204 as desired. Once the second end 16 is knotted, no further lacetying or knotting is necessary to put on and take off the shoe 38. If auser prefers to have the second end 16 on the medial side 42 of theshoe, the spanning member 202 may simply be reversed.

Referring to FIG. 5A, in the fourth embodiment, it may be desirable forthe fastener 300 to fit either a right sided or left sided shoe. In thisembodiment, in order for the spanning member 302 to effectively anchoron the shoelace 12 (not shown) in either orientation, holes 304 aredisposed on both sides of the spanning member 302, with center slots 308disposed between them. Preferably, the holes 304 and center slots 308are arranged bilaterally, so a shoelace 12 can be placed under the samedegree of tension regardless of the orientation of the spanning member302.

Referring to 5B, the spanning member 300 is shown in side view having anarc allowing the spanning member to present two or more levels oftension to a wearer. First, the spanning member 300 may be installedcomplimentary to the shoe 36 (not shown), which provides a less flexibledegree of tension on the shoelace 12 (not shown). Alternatively, thespanning member 300 may be installed so that the arc bends away from theshoe 36. In this manner, flexibility in the spanning member 302 allowsthe spanning member 302 to flex back and forth toward the shoe 36. Thisconfiguration is useful for instance in the case of joggers, to avoidpinching of the shoe 36 when running, increasing circulation and comfortfor the wearer. Also shown in FIG. SB, the center slots 308 may haveexaggerated tapered entrances 310 to make sliding the second end 16 intoand out of the center slots 308 easier.

Referring to FIG. 6, in a fifth embodiment of the fastener 400, it ispossible to use the spanning member 402 to reduce the amount of excessshoelace 12, effectively shortening the shoelace 12 by passing the firstend 14 of the shoelace 12 through the hole 404 and also passing itthrough one or more angled slots 406 disposed at a distance from thehole 404. By having more of the shoelace 12 taken up by running thefirst end 14 through the angled slots 406, when the second end 16 isanchored in a non-angled slot 408 across the spanning member 402, moretension is placed on the shoelace 12.

Referring to FIG. 7, in a sixth embodiment, the fastener 500 includes aspanning member 502 having a generally oblong shape, and including anenlarged area 504 between the hole 506 and a side slot 508. The enlargedarea 504 is a convenient location for affixing indicia 510 such as abrand logo, image, safety information, emergency information, or I.D.information. Because the spanning member 502 will typically be locatedat the top of the shoe 38 (not shown), any indicia 510 can be easilyseen. Contemplated indicia 510 also include educational images for useon children's shoes, such as displaying ‘right’ or ‘left’, oridentification information including an adult's phone number forexample.

Referring to FIG. 8, in another embodiment, the fastener 600 may includea spanning member 602 having a perimeter 604 made in a predetermineddecorative shape to make attractive and fanciful adornments for a shoe38 (not shown). Although the exemplary embodiment is a round button, thespanning member 602 could be made having a more complex perimeter 604pattern reflecting a particular theme, such as an animal, or character.In the illustrated embodiment, the hole 606 and a side slot 608 areshown incorporated into a disk shaped spanning member 602.

Having described the devices of the preferred embodiments, now theiroperation, function and use is discussed.

In order to secure shoes using the first embodiment fastener 10, Thefirst end 14 of a shoelace 12 on a laced shoe 38 is inserted through thehole 22. A knot 26 is formed in the first end 14 so that it cannot passback through the hole 22. Preferably, this operation is performed closeto the shoe 38. With the first end 14 fixed in place, the shoelace 12 isdrawn to a desired degree of tautness. The second end 16 is then knottedand placed in a slot 24. It may be desirable for a user to tie a loop 36in the second end 16 so the second end 16 can simply be grasped by auser's finger. This also has the benefit of preventing the second end 16from traveling back through the slot 24.

When a user desires to remove the shoe 38, the second end 16 can besimply slid out of the slot, allowing the shoelace 12 to be loosened.Because the spanning member 18 is held in place on the shoe 38 by virtueof the knot 26, which will not travel through the hole 22, the spanningmember 18 can be left on the shoe 38 when not in use until it needs tobe worn again. Also, because the knot in the second end 16 can be leftin place, a user need not re-tie the shoelace 12 after initialinstallation.

In this manner, the fastener 10 is helpful for very young children, whocan utilize the invention to secure their shoes without having to learncomplicated tying techniques. The fastener 10 is also helpful for peoplewith deficient motor skills, or anyone desiring to fasten their shoesusing one hand, or even one finger. By not having to have extra lacingmaterial, there is a cost savings to manufacturers, and users need nottie laces to prevent them from dragging on the ground.

To fasten a shoe 38 using the second embodiment fastener 100, a user hasthe option and may prefer sliding the second end 16 into the opposingslot 104 when convenient to do so. For fastening larger shoes, such asboots, the third embodiment fastener 200 may be used. In thisembodiment, the spanning member 202 is arced to nest against the shoe38. The vertical slots 204 make installing the second end 16 easier. Tofasten a shoe according to the fourth embodiment fastener 300, theflexible arced spanning member 302 may be used. In this embodiment, thespanning member 302 may be placed so that it nests against the shoe 38for a close fit, or it may be reversed. If reversed, flexibility in thespanning member 302 allows it to flex with movement, which is useful inactivities like running to avoid pinching a user's foot at the top ofthe shoe 38.

To use the fifth embodiment fastener 400, a user passes the first end 14through the spanning member 402 more than once, by inserting the firstend through the hole 404 and also through the slanted slot 406 beforeknotting the first end 14. With more of the shoelace 12 taken up by thespanning member 402, when the second end 16 is knotted and inserted inthe vertical slot 408, the shoelace 12 is prevented from dragging on theground. When using the sixth embodiment fastener 500, the spanningmember 502 is affixed in a similar manner, by threading the first end 14through the hole 506 and knotting it, then knotting the second end 16and placing it in the slot 508. This is done so in a manner placing thespanning member 502 up against the shoe 38 making the indicia 510clearly visible. In a similar manner, the seventh embodiment fastener600 is installed in the same way, placing the fancifully shaped spanningmember 602 against the shoe 38 to present the decorative perimeter 604shape to viewers.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the Inventionare sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to make and use theinvention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferredembodiments presented are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention, in as much as equivalents thereof and other modificationswhich come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claimswill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading thisspecification.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoelace tightening system comprising: a shoehaving a top surface including an upper medial eyelet and an upperlateral eyelet aligned along a longitudinal axis; a shoelace having afirst end extending through the upper medial eyelet, the first endincluding a first knot, a second end extending through the upper lateraleyelet, the second end including a second knot, and an unknotted portionbetween first and second knots; and a tensioning device including aspanning member having a bottom surface positioned against the topsurface of the shoe, a top surface opposing the bottom surface, and aperimeter wall extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a holethrough the top and bottom surfaces of the spanning member, the holepositioned inward of the perimeter wall and including a circumferentialedge, at least one slot through the top and bottom surfaces of thespanning member, the slot extending transversely to the longitudinalaxis, the slot including an entrance portion intersecting the perimeterwall, and an end portion terminating inwardly of the perimeter wall;wherein the hole is sized to prevent the knot from passing through thehole; and the second end of the shoelace is held in the slot by aninterference fit.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: theentrance portion of the slot is sized to permit the unknotted portion ofthe shoelace to pass in a transverse direction into and out of the endportion; and the end portion of the slot is sized to prevent the secondknot from passing upwardly or downwardly through the slot.
 3. The systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the end portion of the slot is enlargedrelative to the entrance portion.
 4. The system according to claim 2,wherein the end portion of the slot is rounded and substantiallyequivalent in diameter and curvature to the hole.
 5. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the device has multiple slots havingentrance portions intersecting the perimeter wall.
 6. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of thespanning member are entirely planar.
 7. The system according to claim 1,wherein the spanning member has a uniform thickness.
 8. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the second knot is disposed above the topsurface of the spanning member.
 9. A device for adjustably tensioning ashoelace in a shoe having an upper medial eyelet and an upper lateraleyelet aligned along a longitudinal axis, the shoelace having a firstend including a first knot, an opposing second end including a secondknot, and an unknotted portion between the first and second knots, thedevice comprising: a spanning member having a top surface, a bottomsurface, and a perimeter wall extending between the top and bottomsurfaces, the perimeter wall including a medial side and a lateral side;a hole extending through the top and bottom surfaces of the spanningmember, the hole positioned inward of the perimeter wall and sized toprevent the first knot from passing through the hole; and at least oneslot configured to receive and hold the second knotted end, the slothaving an entrance portion intersecting the perimeter wall and an endportion terminating inwardly of the perimeter wall, the slot orientedsuch that when the spanning member is placed on the shoe with thelateral side of the spanning member adjacent to the lateral eyelet andthe medial side of the spanning member adjacent to the medial eyelet,the slot extends transversely to the longitudinal axis; wherein theentrance portion of the slot is sized to permit the unknotted portion ofthe shoelace to pass in a transverse direction into and out of the endportion; and the end portion of the slot is sized to prevent the secondknot from passing upwardly or downwardly through the slot.
 10. Thedevice according to claim 9, wherein the end portion of the slot isenlarged relative to the entrance portion.
 11. The device according toclaim 9, wherein the end portion of the slot is rounded andsubstantially equivalent in diameter and curvature to the hole.
 12. Thedevice according to claim 9, wherein the device has multiple slotshaving entrance portions intersecting the perimeter wall.
 13. The deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of thespanning member are entirely planar.
 14. The system according to claim9, wherein the spanning member has a uniform thickness.
 15. The deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the slot is sized to hold the second endof the shoelace in an interference fit.